s mi s rij'jj preview!!! STREET PKHTER S FOR SUPER NES! plus special mmm op new street fighter mmm e^isiiiJ ■ Raphael decided to start I using his head when he I fought. So after a yeqr of WM grueling training, * he has hard-core head butting down to a science with his power drill attack. Splinter taught Leonardo that the best defense is a sharp offense. So Leo learned to get the edge with a cyclone sword spin . that slices Shredder's soldiers down to size. Splinter has taught the turtles some most excellent new moves that'll have Shredder's mob babbling for weeks. And for the first time ever, you can practice your new ninja warfare on each other in the two player mode as you face a never before seen eight level test of turtle power for your NES.™ Battle for survival on surfboards, battleships, blimps, star destroyers, and in the seediest parts of Manhattan where even a respectable reptile wouldn't wander. Manhattan’s crime rate is up. Two thousand feet to be exact. Because Shredder has ripped the island from the face of the Earth. The Turtus Hot Taken New Stk To Fight Crime. Fortunately, when the going gets tough you can change turtles in the heat of combat, just like the tastiest of tag teams. It’ll take all of the fab four to shred a slew of slugs like Leatherhead, Rahzar, Groundchuck and Tokka. a*’**, mam m m a oo So team up with the Turtles IffjIKI/XlM/ll R and stop Shredder from holding " ™ %ma W^^awa a up three million dudes and dudettes. Teeraoe IAxartMrgTui»anaihe 2 ©1992 Software, Etc. IKED WITH REAL DEALS; £ OUR STORES. “ NAME YOUR GAME. CHOOSE 4 GAMES WITH TURBO EXPRESS. Buy the new Turbo Express hand-held game system and NEC will send your choice of 4 games free. Choose from: Pac Land, Vigilante, Victory Run, Power Qcif, Fantasy Zone or Alien Crush. See stores for details. 4 FREE GAMES ' * 90 *! VALUE Tuito Express System $29999 Games so action-packed, even the prices will blow you away. Take up to $7.00 off these full-force action games at Software, Etc. Use the coupons below to redeem your savings. And see our huge selection of other games and systems. Pack up the savings at Software, Etc. today! 1" IrfOFF ~ T “tCOFF - f "6C0FF" I SUPER R TYPE from I REM. POPULOUS fr< )tn Acclaim. I CHESSMASTER from Mindscape. * Name - | Address _ | City- State_ Phone_ _ Zip_ -Store Fill out coupon and receive a discount on one of these titles. Offer good at participating stores only Limit one discount per title. Offer good only on titles shown during dates listed. No substitutions, rainchecks or special orders. No dealer salts. Product availability subject to manufacturer distribution. Void where prohibited Coupon valid 3/22 - 4/11/92. ADO AMS FAMILY ft m Ocean of America. RAMPART f rom Jaleco. DRAGON WARRIOR 3 from Enix. Name_ Address _ City _ State_ Phone _ Zip_ .Store #_ Fill out coupon and receive a discount on one of these titles. Offer good at participating stores only Limit one discount per title. Offer good only on titles shown during dates listed. No substitutions, rainchecks or special orders No dealer sales Product availability subject to manufacturer distribution. Void where prohibited Coupon valid 3/22 - 4/11/92. ANDRE PANZA KICK-BOXING from NEC. TURRICAN from Accolade. Name _ Address _ City _ State_Zip. _ Phone _ Store # _ Fill out coupon and receive a discount on one of these titles. Offer good at participating stores only Limit one discount per title Offer good only on titles shown during dues listed No substitutions, rainchecks or special orders. No dealer sales. Product availability subject to manufacturer distribution Void where prohibited Giupon valid 3/22 - 4/11/92. Call 1-8003284646 for a Software, Etc. near you. Have your zip code ready. I WMTO Product availability may he affected by manufacturer production delays. However, we will always do our best to satisfy' our customers. ©Software, Etc. Offers valid 3/22-4/11/92 CIRCLE #193 ON READER SERVICE CARD. EGM A SENDAI PUBLISHING GROUP, INC. PERIODICAL April, 1992 Sff#. X + -V /\') X M*# X H -fc A 5 -y H MM*# i-+y ri/» i/ »»1 - x H 149 -jrr^x r M - 5 - 7 ? ft — 't.y 9 — 14 9 -7-7 -*-*-»* ft M fl * # V 4 ? 7 4 'J - Xf-r /\X —•>!/(, ov*rti9v h U. S. 4-ya-f* tr* y-A -f-i* raRsrun# d/<-f *. x*y WA*W World-Net Contributors: CTW-England; The SuperFamicom-Japan; Games-X - England; Joystick-France Gamest-Japan; MegaDrive Beep-Japan Playcorp-Australia; FamicomJournal-Japan; Nintendo Magsinet - Sweden; ASM • Germany LAYOUT AND PRODUCTION Direct Contact, Inc. George Mac, Associate Art Director Colleen Bastien, Copy Editor John Stockhausen, Ad Coordinator Suzanne Farrell, Ad Manager CUSTOMER SERVICE (515) 280-3861 NATIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jeffrey Eisenberg Eisenberg Communications Group 2121 Avenue of the Stars, 6th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90067 Brandon Harris, Account Executive (310) 551-6587 SENDAI PUBLISHING GROUP, INC. Steve Harris, President Mike Riley, VP of Operations Mark Mann, Financial Director Cindy Polus, Financial Assistant Harry Hochman, Circulation Director Harvey Wasserman, Newsstand Dir. Donna Cleppe, Newsstand Manager David Kamis, Manufacturing Dir. Ken Williams, Contract Publishing Mgr. DISTRIBUTED BY WARNER PUBLISHING SERVICES, INC. ABC AUDIT APPLIED FOR Electronic Gaming Monthly (ISSN 1058-918X) is published monthly by Sendai Publishing Group, Inc. 1920 Highland Avenue. Suite 222, Lombard. IL 60148. Application to mail at second class postage rates pending at Lombard, IL and additional mailing offices. Subscription rates for U.S.: $23.95. Canada and Mexico: $34.95. and all others by air mail only: $80.00. Single issue rates: $3.95. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Electronic Gaming Monthly. P.O. Box 7524. Red Oak. IA 51591- 0524. For subscription changes, change of address, or corre¬ spondence concerning subscriptions call 1-800444-2884. The editors and the publisher are not responsible for unsolicited mate¬ rials. No part of this publications may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of Sendai Publishing Group. Inc.. Copyright © 1992. Sendai Publishing Group. Inc. All rights reserved. All materials listed in this magazine are subject to manufacturers change and the publisher assumes no responsibil¬ ity for such changes Printed in the USA. Hi Uncle! WHAT SHAPE WILL THE FUTURE TAKE? Lately there has been a lot of talk concerning what roads the video game hobby potentially could take in the months to come, as well as an equally diverse amount of speculation concerning which game formats will take hold in this and subse¬ quent years. While this argument has been debated in previous Insert Coin and letters sec¬ tions, it has recently become a hot topic once again. Not since early 1989 have there been so many new types of hardware on the horizon. These range from new formats like the Sega Mega CD, Nintendo CD-ROM and Sony Play Station, to revamped versions of existing technology soon to be unveiled in the Nintendo Color GameBoy and the upcoming NES to Super NES convertor. Even though it is encouraging to see that the video game industry is still a vibrant business that many perceive have the necessary life left to warrant the costs into such areas, there are other questions that plague my thoughts whenev¬ er I hear someone unilaterally placing CD or another technology in an automatic place of preeminence above the current cartridge format. While these machines of the future are stealing the headlines, cartridge based gaming is making equally impressive leaps. Witness this month's cover story, Street Fighter 2 for the Super NES. This is a game that millions have been wait¬ ing for and Capcom is well aware of that fact. But instead of producing a limited version of the arcade super-hit, or trimming the more subtle features to compress the game into a more conventional four or eight megabit configuration, the pro¬ grammers were instead let loose with 16 meg of memory. The result is a game that, although expensive, cannot be compared to any arcade-to-home conversion ever attempted. Street Fighter 2 is the perfect example of how technology doesn't dictate playability - it's the game that does. The future is exciting, but when you consider that since Nintendo introduced their 8-Bit system seven years ago there have only been three other companies strongly committed to delivering new game formats to the market (a trend that doesn't seem to be changing much outside of CD-ROM). Perhaps the new tech¬ nologies will bring with them new game designs that challenge our senses in alto¬ gether new ways that Nintendo, Sega and Atari never dreamed of. Electronic Gaming Monthly remains committed to the electronic entertainment industry and all of the changes that have yet to come. Whether it's CD-ROM or new mega-carts like Street Fighter 2, EGM will be there with the first news and a guarantee that are viewpoints will always provide you with the info you need to buy the best products and get the most out of them. I would like to take this time, as I do every year, to invite your opinions and com¬ ments on the state of the industry and the manner in which EGM has taken you through the twists and turns of our hobby. This is your magazine and, as we con¬ tinue to expand onto television and with additional publications, we want to make absolutely sure that the future of video games and our content are one in the same. Steve Harris Publisher 4-0N-4 SURVIVOR SERIES MAYHEM MATCHES Charge down to ringside in WWF Super WrestleMania'!!! Never before have the WWF Superstars' like Hulk Hogan ; Sid Justice^The Undertaker" and Jake “The Snake” Roberts' looked so real! They’re bigger, mightier and tougher than ever before! You’re in command of powerslams that rock the arena, clotheslines that clobber, and atomic suplexes that flatten your foe into submission! You’ve got the skill and the bone crushing moves...but do you have the guts to become the next WWF champion? actual game selection screens: 10 WWF' SUPERSTARS WWF* Super WrestleMania'* is a trademark of TitanSports. Inc. © 1991 TitanSports. Inc All rights reserved Hulk Hogan'*. Hulkamania * and Hulkster * are trademarks of Marvel Entertainment Group. Inc Licensed exclusively to TitanSports. Inc All other distinctive chararcter names, titles, logos, and likenesses used herein are trademarks ot TitanSports. Inc. All nghts reserved Nintendo®. Super Nintendo Entertainment System® and the official seals are trademarks ol Nintendo of America Inc © 1992 Nintendo of America Inc LJN* is a registered trademark ol LJN. Ltd © 1992 LJN. Lid All rights reserved CIRCLE #150 ON READER SERVICE CARD. JIT Til Jordan and Bird-the modern architects of basketball-co-designed this game. So you know this one is for the record books CANJORDAN “ Larry’s scary,”says Michael. "Man, he’s so consistent, never letting up. The guy’s a three- point machine with eyes all around his head. And he can hurt you in so many ways.” Bird: “Michael’s unreal. You never know what he’s going to QEME5I5 do. Basketball’s ^^ never seen anyone this creative. 1 mean, when he’s on, you can’t turn him off. Talk about hang time, Jordan owns the airwaves” Jordan vs. Bird." The game designed by the guys who redesigned basketball: Michael and Larry. They’ve done everything you can in the sport. Scoring titles. MVP awards. All-Stars. Championship rings. But they’ve never gone toe-to-toe like this before. Super One-on-One action. Larry’s dead-eye game against Michael’s explosiveness. The match-up anyone would jump through hoops to play. Don't miss what happens when these shooting stars collide. Jordan vs. Bird scores an incredible three pointer: three events in one game. First, there's Super One- on-One. You choose whose shoes you want to play in, Michael's or Larry’s. You’ve got their authentic signature moves, sweet spots, and complete player control. Michael's aerial assaults and steals. Larry’s spins and radar shooting. Plus more long range bombs than the Gulf War. Once you've settled the score, defy gravity in Michael's Slam Dunk Competition. With ten classic Jordan jams like the Helicopter, Leap Frog, Fly Swat, Hula Hoop, and Stretch Air. The more daring the dunk the more points you earn with the judges and crowd. In Larry’s 3-Fbint Shootout, you fly with Bird from downtown. With 60 seconds to sink as many buckets as you can. And money balls count double. Find your rhythm and you might just top Larry Legend’s winning score of 22. THREE ALL-STAR EVENTS IN ONE GAME. Super One-on-One. Jordan's Slam Dunk Competition. Bird's 3-Point Shootout. The ultimate match-up. JordanS aerial Fly high, score higher. Five judges rule the Gobble up those 3-pointers like Bird and artistry vs. Birds dead-eye shooting. court when Michael takes off in the be the ultimate money ball player. Slam Dunk Competition. You know it’s a major sports event because EASN's there to cover it. With your detailed stats at the end of every quarter. Instant replay. Even a“Bird’s-eye” view from 3-point range. Visit your local EA dealer or order by phone any time: (800)245-4525. And conquer the only challenge that remains for Michael and Larry: Each other. EASN and Jordan vs Bird are trademarks of Electronic Arts Sega and Genesis are trademarks ot Sega Ent&pnses Ud. Circle #111 on reader service card. \ ^LmuTT/z/n. // f^3^ter$ tat&p%ers in Anierica^nd j^japr; 4j* .,;' J^peom braided new features to the ate sute^o heat thihgpjwdK over again in ’92 r 'J$X foumew characters to4p<# Ct of$ght isfecfea^iil ' ££ has a : new>i%?!;* k ^;^And now, the ultimate feature.. .the one*.?: SameCharacteiw^ - v h ^§le|Jay^rs.^ll'Sjee Wife’s reafty-th^b&t,/ ;||aTight to the ^e^uttiodght yon’dseefrit aUv.thou^t diet, wa&fio ,moreio)i^^ : HA;!.H^w /v ■J&frpi twice as maoy^ bdfd^l^ Vj You say you've mastered Street Fighter II... You say yotfire the best, andi^poe can fang with yw Guife qombaj^. ^But dajfeu |ay e what if takes to master CapcocS^w Street , fighter II Champion Capcorn USA, Inc. 3903 Scott Blvd. , V- Santa Clara, California 95054 Vf;": v ^iwa-ig^pgaii.csk'i^q.T Vm rJt V-jf£} CIRCLE #239 ON READER SERVICE CARD. It's Not Over. CAPCOM You think you can handle Ogopogo you and dice you, there are 200 oi who’ll be glad to have Will THE EPIC ROLE PLAYING ADVENTURE FOR 1 Look for Final Fantasy Adventure™ and Final Fantasy Legend™ II for Game Boy? For rr Nintendo. Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Game Boy, and the Official Seals are registered trademarks of Nin o of America Inc. ©1992 Nintendo of America Inc. Final Fantasy is a trademark of Square Soft. £ 1992 Square Soft. Inc. MORE NEO-GEO... I am very pleased with the changes that you have been making to your magazine. It is much easier to read and it just looks better. It is good that you haven't softened your review crew and your new products informa¬ tion [EGM Express] is months ahead of everybody else. You haven't reached perfection yet as I have the Neo-Geo and your coverage of that system needs work. Since neither of the other two magazines have regular coverage I am relying on you to help us out. Jake Thompson Louisville, KY Andro Dunos is on its way for the Neo-Geo. (Ed. No sooner said than done Jake! It took a while but starting with this issue we have the first of our Neo- Geo fact files. Turn to page 143 for a spread on Soccer Brawl.) DARIUS FROM KONAMI? I'm confused. I read in another mag¬ azine that Konami is making a CD version of Darius for the PC Engine. They say that it is Konami's first CD game for that system. In your maga¬ zine you say that Gradius was their first game. I thought that Darius was a Taito game because the Super Nin¬ tendo version is done by Taito. Is Konami doing something different in Japan. Since you have the interna¬ tional game coverage, what is the answer? Mark Mayers Philadelphia, PA (Ed. You're right, Taito has Darius and Konami has Gradius. No secret deals are going on between these companies. No smiling faces either.) STREET FIGHTER 2 GLITCHES Hats off to the first magazine who knows what a good arcade game is. Your Street Fighter 2 coverage was right on the money and whoever (Sushi-X?) wrote the strategies really knows the game. It's interesting that a couple of months after you do it, oth¬ ers are copying your work. One thing you didn't do though, is cover the 'freezes'. Rob Shields Eugene, OR The legendary Guile Freeze is just one of many tips sent in. I just read your February magazine and it is awesome. In the SF2 part it said to write a letter if I find any secrets. There are some which you haven't talked about. While using Guile, I found a way to freeze and handcuff your opponent. Brian Gray Santa Ana, CA The seemingly unbreakable Guile Handcuffs are escapable... (Ed. Since we published our request for new SF2 moves and tricks, we have received over 500 letters talking about everything from program glitch¬ es, like the freezes, to Guile's gun hiding in his boot! Most were just rumors, but the freezes are very real. We knew about them when we began the article, but have refrained from publishing how to do them as they can actually be harmful to the machine. These bugs have been removed from all new versions of Street Fighter II beginning with the Version 4.0 motherboard. Another famous Guile glitch is the Guile Blackout which actually resets the game (and causes you and your opponent to lose your credits). This has also been eradicated. It was also possible to reset the game with Dhal- sim. Dhalsim could also turn invisible, Ken and Ryu have an endless hurri¬ cane kick where they continually spin across the screen until they get stuck in the corner. Another brilliant Guile handcuff glitch is playfully termed the Magic Throw in some circles. This is just one method to escape the Guile Handcuff. The frozen character can also initiate his/her own escape with¬ out being thrown. The boss charac¬ ters are not available for use any¬ where except the new Champion Edi¬ tion of Street Fighter II. Any instances of 'instant' special attacks, ie. Blanka's Roll, Chun Li Wind Kick, are all built into the game as 'random moves.' This means the computer will suddenly throw in a special attack instead of a normal move. It is possi¬ ble to throw a Sonic Boom without charging immediately after throwing an opponent. Missile attacks such as Guile's Sonic Boom cannot have more than one occupying the screen at one time. The computer may throw them out extremely fast, but they are not that fast! Another beauty of a rumor floating around nowadays is that Street Fighter III is already in arcades around the world. This is completely unfounded, and the game most people are referring to is actual¬ ly SNK's brand new Neo Geo title, Fatal Fury. Street Fighter III is still on the drawing boards, and you will hear more about it as soon as we do! Believe us when we say we have found everything there is to find in this truly incredible game. Combinations and cheap shots are not really tricks, but techniques. In the future, be fore¬ warned that rumors are usually just rumors, unless you have actually seen it happen and can get proof that it exists. Few rumors turn up true, even we can be wrong. By the way, the new board does have one new feature. More on that later.) 16 Electronic Gaming Monthly The Master of nture! sunn mm Now available for Super NES. the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy! Master Higgins is back in his wildest and greatest adventure of all! He leaps into action to defeat an army of guardian animals and monsters that protect the evil wizard, Dark Cloak! Join Master Higgins as he reaches new heights of excitement on his high flying skateboard. Speed through underground caves in a crazy mine car ride! Go from dangerous tropical shores to the belly of a whale - all in search of his final battle with the wicked sorcerer. • Secret Bonus Rounds restore power and award points to our high jumping hero! • Terrible traps and gigantic villains await your next move! £1092 Hudson Soft USA. Inc All Rights Reserved Super Adventure Island™. Adventure Island II™. Adventure Island ™ and Master Higgins™ .- -e trademarks of Hudson Soft USA. Inc. Hudson Soft USA. Inc. is a trademark of Hudson Soft Co.. Ltd. Nintendo™. Nintendo Entertainment System ™. Super NES ™. Game Boy™ and the Official Seals are trademarks of Nintendo of America. C 1992 Nintendo of America Inc. CIRCLE #109 ON READER SERVICE CARD. PLAY GAMES FOR A LIVING! I am an 18 year old freshman at the University of Rochester. I have been playing games ever since Pong and have always had a dream of one day playing video games as part of my job when I was older. I always like to read EGM cover to cover and can never wait until the next issue. I always like to find out what is new in the gaming world and EGM is my major source of information. All of my friends know how much I like games and how good I am. They are amazed at how fast I finish games. The more I think about this, the more I believe that my dream has a chance to some day become a reality. What I want to do is major in Japanese and some how become involved in the video game industry, and possibly working as a Japanese consultant for EGM (like Sushi-X). Is it possible for me to do this? If it is, would I need to take other courses outside my major? Please help my dream become a reality. Luciano DiGeronimo Fair Lawn, NJ (Ed. Thanks for your interest in our magazine. You have already touched on some of the most important skills needed in this industry. Playing games is obviously the most important and, at least if you want to work for us, you have to be able to pick up a game and walk through it in a matter of a couple of hours. Computer skills are also important as our assistant editors are the ones who do the page layouts and take the photos. We believe, like you, that game players have the best idea as to what other game players want to see in a fact file. The IBM is a good machine but the best work is now being done on the Mac. It's not all fun though. Long hours and 6 to 7 day work weeks are the rule here especially when we are working with the shortest lead time in the industry. On the other hand, our editors are not ones who just sit behind their desks and wait for the news to come to them. It is very sel¬ dom that everybody is in the office at one time as someone is always flying off on a story. Frequent trips to Japan and London are nice perks in any book! If you want to be an editor it is also important to know that Darius is a Taito game, and you will have to live in the Chicago area. Unlike other mags who have dozens of freelance writers spread throughout the country, every¬ thing (except Sushi-X) is kept under one roof here at EGM. It sounds like you are the kind of player that we would want on our staff some day. Keep in touch!) MEGA-CD ENCRYPTION... PRO... It is about time one game company wises up and finally locks out the for¬ eign games. Most of them are off the wall hard core RPG's or games which sooner or later come out over here anyway. I will gladly take a Batman 2 over a strange looking 3x3 Eyes. Good job Sega! Brendon Shires New York, NY AND CON... I would like to respond to your edito¬ rial about giving up Japanese conver¬ sions for American games based on movies and TV shows. Truthfully, I would much rather play "Lunar - The Silver Star" than have to settle for a "Toejam and Earl" CD game. From my experience with both Japanese and American games, I can honestly say that Japanese are tops! Could you possibly imagine a full motion video intro for a "Home Alone" CD, or a rerun of "Star Control" with Zero Wait State?! Oh, Glee!! I can hardly wait!! Hey Sega, trust me, you would do a lot better if you worked on translation rather than programming. And I swear, the second an "All My Children" CD/FRPG comes out I will melt down my Genesis and use the plastic as my new GameBoy stand! Angel L. Quinones Jersey City, NJ (Ed. Ever since we broke the news in the U.S. about Sega's intent to lock out foreign CD's, letters started pour¬ ing in by the hundreds. Right now it is running about 90% against encryption and 10% for it. What do you think? Should Nintendo do the same thing with their CD machine?) STREET FIGHTER 2: CHAMPION EDITION? Your February issue on Street Fight¬ er 2 was hot. I've been playing for a long time and I agree with you that the rumors like Guile throwing his comb are a joke. However I have heard rumors from some reliable friends that some of the Street Fighter 2 machines had a tournament mode built into the game. Can you find out if this is true? Hubert Cheng La Jolla, CA Note the red Chun Li in Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition! (Ed. Have you thought about working for us as our West Coast spy? Just joking. You are right though, Capcom is working on an enhanced "Street Fighter 2" arcade game. It is called Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition. Last issue we broke the news on this hot new SF2 arcade game and this issue you can see what it looks like. Don't miss the special coverage start¬ ing on page 100!) THE LATEST INFO! You probably won't answer this but I would like to know how you get your info months before everybody else does? Bill Rodgers Winnipeg, Manitoba (Ed. Going straight to Japan certainly helps. Sometimes we get info even more current than what the U.S. com¬ panies have.) The U.S. Magic Sword pix (left) doesn't even have the score. The same info from Japan shows a nearly completed game! Electronic Gaming Monthly simmm No personal fouls and plenty of excitement highlight this bone-crunching futuristic basketball title! Dodge missiles, saw blades and more as you pound your way through the most intense contact sport ever created. • Fast one-on- one action! Play against the computer or a friend (1 or 2 player). • Super League Mode! Make your own team by buying and selling players. Up to eight people can play in the same league! • Battery back-up lets you save your league for future grudge matches! HUDSON SOFT HUDSON SOFT USA. INC 400 OYSTER POINT BLVD SUITE 515 SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO. CA 94080 (415) 871 8895 C 1991 Hudson Soft USA. Inc. All rights reserved. Bill Laimbeers Combat Basketball is a trademark of Hudson Soft USA Inc Hudson Soft USA Inc. is s trademark of Hudson Soft Co . Ltd Nintendo. Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Official Seels are trademarks of Nintendo of Americe Inc C 1991 Nintendo of America. CIRCLE #109 ON READER SERVICE CARD. p u l * ' ■ 1 v DESERT STRIKE “—RETURN TO THE GULF Desert Storm is over, but not everything was blown away. Now it’s up to you to finish the job. No problem thanks to the awesome Apache Attack Chopper. Climb aboard and get ready to burn up the skies. Fly, hover and attack in any direction. Flatten command centers, radar stations and power plants. Trash air bases and enemy camps. And smoke left¬ over SCUDs, ICBMs and chemical weapon plants. You decide what stays standing and what gets ham¬ mered by your main guns, Flydras or deadly Hellfire Rockets. But Desert Strike is more than a shoot japri up game. Surgical command strikes require razor sharp skill and the ability to think on the fly. You must plot your attack to survive 30 deadly-real missions. Access your battle map and on-board computer intelligence. Raid ammo dumps to reload. Rescue U.N. teams, hostages and spies. Protect the oil fields. And work towards your ultimate goal: hunting down the madman and obliterating his nuclear arsenal. If you’re ready to clean up more than just your room, get Desert Strike- Return to the Gulf for your Sega Genesis. Check out •SaMwfe- your local retailer or call 1 (800) 245-4525 anytime, electronic arts- It you are under 18. be sure to get your parents’ permission before using hotline (956 tor first minute. 756 tor each additional rrwnute) Messages subject to change without nonce Desert Strike' - Return to the Guit was designed by Mike Rosehn and •s a trademark ot Electronic Arts Sega and Genesis are trademarks of Sega Enterprises. Ltd Circle #111 on reader service card. CONTRA 3: THE ALIEN WARS With the most incredible examples of truly how powerful the Super NES really is, Konami's Contra 3: The Alien Wars not only challenged even the most die-hard action aficionados in the EGM offices, it also blew our minds with level of graphic and pro¬ gramming complexity that few home games have ever managed to dis¬ play! A tip of the hat goes to Kona- mi for proving once again that few know games as well as they do! - With no challenge to * be found on the T home front, the big E cheese(head) has y set his sights on the - arcade Smash se¬ quel, Total Carnage! What, him worry? Not when he's got I his hands on the best the Super D NES has to offer! Sooner or later he'll beat Ryu!!! jyi Will someone tell ^ him to quit calling U Andrew for tips! y Seriously, our game . pro is hot on Contra * 3, but has anybody got a band aid? S Sushi-san, fresh U from slicing and S dicing the best of H the worst from I CES, is taking a - vacation with X Street Fighter 2! Super NES ■ Konami CONTRA III: THE ALIEN WARS Theme: Action Available: May No. of Levels: 6 The tale of two green berets con¬ tinues in 16-Bit fashion! Once more, the forces of Red Falcon have returned from the deepest reaches of space to terrorize the planet Earth! This time, our favorite heroes will have their hands full with bosses that encompass the entire screen, awesome Mode 7 effects, two weapons at one time and the Mother Brain itself! Contra III: The Alien Wars is a direct hit! This game is not only the hottest action game to appear f^BM&uper NES, it's the best thrill for come along for any system h somelti me. Taking the Super NES to the^H^K game has full screen rotation, inc^^pe Mode 7 Boss¬ es, incredible gragj^^and sound as well as game play that won't quit! Awesome! You can't do an action game much better than this. KonamU^^^iked a lot into Contra 3 and it sl^^^^wn the incredi¬ ble Boss encount^Ho^Hbverhead rota¬ tional levels, thi^H^K challenge as well as eye-poppin^Muals. The game play is still Contrg^^ in a suit like this the game has never looked better! This cart is the perfect example of how a 16-Bit game shouU^Kfhe Mode 7 is incredible and th|^R»s are huge. The graphics are arca^ftu^Vand the music and sound effectH|^Wd-blowing. The game play is near and the difficul¬ ty is just right. Tbfl^^me is a total trip from beginning to end. I want more. Contra III: The Alien Wars is exactly what a 16-Bit title shoulcU^Bfee graphics are excellent, especi^^^^Bhe abundant use of Mode 7. rocks when hooked up to a ^|^Kid the control has a special feel a^^^wn. The perfect difficulty settings^^Fthe multiple end¬ ings, kept me coming back for more. Super NES - Seta Fl-ROC Theme: Racing Available: Now No. of Levels: 16 Megabits: 4 Racing takes on a whole new dimension with Fl-ROC (Race of Champions). Race against the best drivers in the world through 16 differ¬ ent tracks from countries spanning the globe. Customize your car to your liking, starting from the suspen¬ sion to an ultra-powerful nitro boost¬ er! View your car stats and prepare to race. Once on the track, get ready for the ride of your life! This kind of excitement is not for the meek. This is a good example of a game design that spent more t^^^Hrking on the options as oppos^^^^e actual play mechanics. The ^^^^lt is a cart that looks good and pi^^^Bwide variety of customizing feajW^^Hv once the race actually began I^^^Pfeeling that most of the up-front features were wasted. This racing game has plenty of spice and not a bad bit of acBMBjKt! The most noticeable feature^^^Hnrt is the man¬ ner in which you arecomplete con¬ trol over your racer'^^Mormance and the roadways on wh^Ho race. There are some racing ov^^BJhts, but overall this game provided some thrills. This cart does a great job of adding fea¬ tures and options tb^Bhake the game play more interestio^Kke building your own car, but afte^^B^L through all the cool options it's ^^^^Bthat great of a racing game. are good and the sounds are r^^^Rit the game play is frustrating and control is minimal. Fl-ROC takes a little getting used to, but after a couple of ra^^Hfcecomes fun. The customizatio^W^ff is a brilliant function, and the ^^k^is tracks add a wide variety of ra^^^^Dn. I only wish the overall graphi^a^^^en drawn bet¬ ter, with some^^^^t explosions or something. As it is, the package is flat. 22 Electronic Gaming Monthly Look! These Are The Games We've Been Waiting For! Spanky’s Quest, a Fun Filled Super Adventure Fantasy for the Entire Family! mTSUME* Serious Fun “ Natsume Inc. 1243A Howard Ave. Burlingame, California 94010 Available for Super NES and Game Boy! Nintendo. Game Boy and Super NES are trademarks of Nintendo ol America Inc. Natsume is a registered trademark of Natsume Inc. C 1991 Natsume Inc. CIRCLE #126 ON READER SERVICE CARD Super NES - Jaleco SUPER E.D.F. Theme: Shooter Available: Now No. of Levels: 6 Megabits: 8 SHIEID Super E.D.F. is a 16-Bit ready to take on all new comers! This brave shooter features 8 different weapons to power-up five times by destroying enemies. After hitting a certain num¬ ber of opponents, your power level will increase. If you reach the fifth level and manage to fill the meter, you will receive another shield. The action does not get any better! Fight large round bosses and save the planet as the Earth Defense Force! I'm a real fan of side-scrolling shooters, but there are substanti a^ roblems with the execution of Super Ffl 3 . First of all, the game offers little in tte way of variety within each round^m^^ckgrounds and enemies (which jj^^Vnely small) are repetitive. power-up is unique, but overall I wasn't impressed. This shooter has a lot of potential, much of which is realized ®th some nice graph¬ ics and a varied cc^^^Wit of weapons. Although there's a lotto choose from, you're severely^inited in changing weapons. Thefte> aly slow-down in many regions, wich^hard to explain considering the small size of the enemies. Jaleco really impressed me with this cart. I liked the differen|^^tt|Vand the vari¬ ety of power-up^^^Mcredible. The graphics are very g^flsnd use a lot of Mode 7 effects. Tl^^^isic isn't bad but doesn't seem to mood. While the game play is gjgflr there is some slow down when the action heats up. This shooter is excellent! I had a lot of fun with Super E.D.F. to finish. You won't believe some oHfle Mode 7 effects in here! The mu^B^Vonly area that could have been Jitter. Just wait until you see the large motBjwip scale in from the distance! EvS^^Prase scales in as you make your last attack! Super NES - Asmik XARDION Theme: Adv. Available: Now No. of Levels: 8 Megabits: 8 Welcome to the Alpha-1 Solar System, home of three intergalactic travelers known as Triton, Alcedes and Panthera. These cyborgs have been dispatched by the Alpha-1 Representatives to stop a war raging between three planets. The invaders from the star NGC-1611 are win¬ ning, but you can stop them! Xardion throws tons of cybernetic fun your way while you trounce the enemy as any of the three super robots. Xardion could have been the much need¬ ed action/adventure J|^ttiat the Super NES has so far lacl^^ttd while we get an interesting pmvse w th some nice options availabmE^iph as alternating between three Bparate characters, the overall control, spJsVand technique leaves much to be desired. While Xardion is not an intense, high speed cart, it does have several original features that let it stafSapart from similar titles we've all seen befJre on the NES. In addition to aUpwirig?ycu to control a cast of three chmaictejyt are each en¬ dowed with theii^^^Plities, the game challenges the mind with a great quest. This cart has a few cool features but there is just not enoughjto impress me. The graphics are good J^^^^re really chop¬ py and the weapons ara lame beyond belief. The game flaTis OK and changing your form is coolkbut the game has a lot of neat ideas th« neve^seem to be exe¬ cuted correctly. Only average. Xardion is a relatively original game, but it lacks in a couple® areas: intensity and control. The control? are choppy and the enemies don't exactly fill The screen. Oth¬ erwise, the concept is a wesome, and the execution is better than average. It might have been cool^Bee the robots trans¬ form into each other though. NES - Konami BUCKY O'HARE Theme: Action Available: Now No. of Levels: 5 Megabits: 4 r v v v v v w * t v > ? yr v t v t f Bucky O'Hare is the newest super space hero to rock the star charts! Bucky and his crew, Blinky, Dead- eye, Jenny and Willy are attacked by the Toad Clan and only Bucky escaped in time. Now, Bucky must rescue his friends trapped on four hostile planets. After rescuing each crew member, they join his awe¬ some quest to end the Toad threat. It even has a cool password feature! While you'll find a lot of features in this game reminiscentfl^^^pTes, the over¬ all package that E^^^Hrare delivers is on target. Although tine difficulty is a little on the tame sid^fle overwhelming assortment of power-ups, enemies and settings this gad^K>rovides more than make up for its shortcomings. Another winner from Konami! Bucky O'Hare proves thaUj^^&t Nintendo can still play a greatmamj9«t least when Konami's at the ^A^Kke your stan¬ dard action title and ^™id it with more power-ups, mor^KnAttand better play mechanics and ^^l^rthe idea! Plenty of technique from beginning to end! This is what video games are all about. The game play is^^^tely great. The graphics are not I^Br^Hity but surpris¬ ingly there is a I^H^RlIax scrolling. The different cMrarte® are awesome though and you can ;l)Slimb walls and more. This gam^^^Jw fun from begin¬ ning to end! The NES lives! Buc ky O' Hare brings the Nintendo Entertair^tt^^stem to life as its colorful graf hcs ftJcBharp controls light up the screeroraUfllrout power-ups! The variety and oialleVig^js ever increas¬ ing for beginne^H^^Vperts of video game action carS^^^ should hop his way to NES machines everywhere. 24 Electronic Gaming Monthly ^73 S.V* <$rfas Drive, Sfiyng 25F HjUhj tndmiri ol H4I iami hfiStitoA. nerton, Oregon 97005 • Tel 1-800-468-53^4'^fdt 503/641-5119 Lrr VnNMo S>*as ‘ *t ffpOffrt fndmiris ol N«*jjfV4*w lot "l \ J ^_ .7 — r v ’\ / -- Xy J ^jtv ■ ft;* l£ 1 • -*1 KB' f c5 [Cn— •do) j NES - Seiko Fl-HERO 2 Theme: Racing Available: Now No. of Levels: NA Megabits: 2 The NES has been lacking many racing titles for a long time...until now! Now, we have the sequel to FI-Hero, a Famicom favorite, F1- Hero 2! Push your car to the limits as you zoom around corners at back-breaking speeds! The first challenge is to merely qualify for the big race. FI-Hero 2 will keep track of your position throughout the race, and you can even pick a manual shift for real accelerating power! This driver, like others that have been offered on the NEflBHMted in many ways but also deliver^ lime thrills. If you've played o^^hfcwers you won't really find much i^^^^y of innovation here, but the a^ion does come at a decent pace and the oraphics are ade¬ quate. Not the best, not the worst. This racer goes where all others have gone before. It is m^MTally better than most and, while it l as some good options it falls short on holding ^person's inter¬ est. The split screen twrafclayer head-to- head version is^K most challenging to date and brings^HPBng to an above average score. F-1 is a good driver for the 8-Bit. The graphics are nothing to shout about but the game play is actSBy very good. There are a nunr^ier q^lifferent tracks and plenty of options *o choose from. The only thing tha^i^^K is that 8-Bit drivers are all thfljS^Bo me and I rather not play them. Only average. FI-Hero held my interest for a little while, but it quickly becan^^^^is and frustrat¬ ing. The idea wasJrorderfi|l, but the exe¬ cution just lacks app|^Bne graphics are blocky and the corB^fe non-existent. The NES really^jc Js & high-powered racing title, but saafglro say, this game just doesn't qualify. NES ■ Virgin Games OVERLORD Theme: Simulation Available: Now No. of Levels: NA Megabits: 2 Ever wanted to develop an entire solar system to your liking? Now you can, with Overlord from Virgin Games! This simulation lets you take control of a pilgrimage across the galaxy. You can buy atmosphere processors, farming equipment and protect your planets from invasion. Once a planet has been inhabited, you must control the government to avoid plagues, rebellion and hunger. Beware of renegade ships! This type of game is similar to other popu¬ lar computer titles JRIet yflR become the creator of civilization This game has a more laid back approach, .vever, which benefits it greatly. some battles, the need for we^^Psystems and other options any gala^^uler would need and you get a decent simulation. A good concept for a game and well exe¬ cuted version al^HBIVthe average person will get ov^rnielmea immediately with all the options and icons, the game really begins to get moving once you've read the instructions and understand how complex this cjB^ally is! Not for the action crowd, this one requires brains. Overlord is an interesting game. It is a COMPUTER gamej|*gh and most computer ports to I^S are not very excit¬ ing. There is a lo^KHnd the game is very involving b^^U^by found was a bunch of subsdHUHn with click-on icons and a little action that seemed like an over glorified Missile Command. Overrlord starts out as a highly interesting game. Wow! You caiaflHtte worlds and oversee their devc opment 1 Well, if only it were that easy. This s a t tie that clearly screams to put pntL6-txL machines due to the complexity and graphics required to make it mind-blowiijBP^s it is, it loses before it from the moment go. Genesis - Electronic Arts DESERT STRIKE Theme: Shooter Available: Now No. of Levels: NA Megabits: 8 Desert Strike combines the thrill of rescu¬ ing hostages on njissions th&t everybody can relate to. Tharen't easy to complete but with oractice they aren't impossible either. graphics set in a perspective that is not often seen in a video game. A bit too slow for me but still has a timely plot that keeps you going. Desert Strike is an original idea for a shooter. The 3/4 pej^BCtive is cool but the game play is k nd o* choppy. I like to rescue the hostages and the different missions are goaBHlf there isn't anything to rave about. The graphic;, are good and the sounds are cool, m above average cart that breaks the shooter-mold. It had to happen. Just when every started to forget about the v^B^the Gulf, some¬ one had to go ahea^Bnd capitalize on it. It is a great shooter realistic game play and contro s, spalling graphics and crisp sounds. Had it oeen named Chop¬ per Strike or som^B^lse, it would be cool. Let's not get cocky about war. It's not over 'til it's over! Just when you thought peace reigned over the middle east, U.S. Forces are needed to return to the Gulf in another Desert Strike! Command a military attack chopper as you raid enemy fortifications, rescue your spies and destroy enemy supplies! Your main concerns are the anti-aircraft install¬ ments and your fuel supply. You may have to return to refuel many times before you finish a mission. I really like the look of this new combat action game a tive allows the dimension of depl lar carts. The never develops storyline and sul notch shooter/action title! ^erall perspec- \n off a new 't find in simi- bit slow and nsity, but the make this a top 26 Electronic Gaming Monthly HOLE IN ONE GOLF SUPER NES I Multiple play options and difficulty levels I Password feature saves your Hole in One, Eagle, or Albatross I Send us your password for a Hole in One, on greens 9 or 17 and well send you back a Callaway Putter (retail value $125). One winner per family, entries postmarked by 6/30/92 HYPERZONE SUPER NES I High-speed futuristic action/adventure I Graphics that pull the most from the Super NES 1 3-D backgrounds bring you into the action I Priced right for quick response VEGAS DREAM NES I Designed for adults, the fastest-growing market segment I Combines Blackjack, Roulette, Slots and Keno I One to four players • lots of casino action I Las Vegas premium book & gift scrip attached to each package, free with purchase of game, value up to $700.00. Subject to restrictions. ($7 processing fee) AVAILABLE NOW IN LIMITED QUANTITIES. CALL NOW! 1-503-644-3009 Licensed by Nintendo for play on the (Nintendo) enTER-minmeriT SVSTEm * HAL AMERICA INC. 7873 S. W. Cirrus Dritntrol helps to keep the game respectable. It should be better. Genesis - Renovation SOL-DEACE Theme: Shooter Available: Now No. of Levels: 6 Megabits: 8 isccrxieofi is,*/ i , * X Vf> r Once more, the Earth is in peril! A hostile race of aliens is attempting to destroy the solar system and collect the energy of its aftermath. Pick spe¬ cial weapons and attach them to any part of your ship to customize your fury. Even try out different weapon combinations to really devastate the alien forces! Be prepared for awe¬ some cinema displays and enor¬ mous round bosses to light up your screen with smooth ambiance. This shooter appears to be inspired by Hellfire and other ■^■H^rs that give you killer firepow^^^^Byou use it on hundreds of enemie^Ball shapes and sizes. The Bosses^Bmimense and ani¬ mated in with an^Bedible amount of movement and^^Bty A good shooter that fans of the genre should pound on. Sol-Deace has it all: from great graphics to fast-moving actti^^^wide array of weapon enhanc^^Pots.lthis is every blaster fan's dreai^BBFue. While you will notice som